B l i n d
by Sasukeluva 4eva
Summary: AU Naruto Fanfic; Sasuke x Sakura; Rated M;   She only wished that one day she could see his face... Yet at the same time, all she could hope for was for him to be able to one day see hers too...
1. The Disease

**a/n: Muahahaha, new fanfic! XD I have plenty already up, as well as far too many to even bother counting that are yet to be posted for your convenience, but this one was inspired recently, and therefore has been put forward on the agenda (lest it gnaw away at my brain until I actually do something about it). So without further adieu, I present to you all, faithful and new readers alike, with this new piece. Enjoy. (:**

**Disclaimer: IDNON, BIDHTOS! That is all.**

**NOTE: This story was slightly inspired by the song **_**'Blind'**_** by **Lifehouse**, so please listen to it when you read all future chapters! Thank you! (:**

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_Summary (full): She only wished that one day she could see his face... Yet at the same time, all she could hope for was for him to one day be able to see hers too..._

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**S**a_s_**u**k_e_l_**u**v_a **4**e_v**a**_ p_r_**e**_s__**e**_n_t_**s**;

_B l i n d_

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_Sasuke x Sakura AU Lemon Fanfic_

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Chapter 1

The Disease

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_'Blindness isn't a symptom... It's a disease.'_

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That's what Haruno Sakura's doctors had been saying for the past fifteen years, yet the words did little to comfort her, even if they had been said in the spirit of that light; Sakura had never seen the 'light' to her situation to begin with.

So then why was it that they all continued to uplift her with the false pretences of hope, when all it would, _could_, offer her was more sorrow and despair than she already felt?

Because they believed her to be the 'miracle', that's why.

Apparently research had proven that her genetic defect could be cured with the latest of technology, but the pinkette loathed the thought of any sort of transplant, blood or otherwise; it was already hard enough that her parents had burned into her the fact that the sharing of any organ could possibly aid in her contracting some unknown, incurable disease, one _worse_ than the one she already had, but the fact that she had a deft _fear_ of hospitals and being put to sleep under the claim that 'it was all for the better of her future' didn't make that phobia any less prominent.

She had heard just about enough of that crap! Nothing was going to make her sight return; in all of her nineteen years of life, Sakura knew this as the only fact justifiably believable, and true.

And be it as it may that she had gone blind as a four year old child, she knew that they might as well have given up altogether—she had seen the sun rise and set, she had seen buildings and transportation, and most of all, she had seen her loved ones; she had seen her parents, so there wasn't any need for her to be worried about gaining her sight back.

Because all of the things that mattered most to her, she had seen, vague or otherwise; she had had the privilege to use her eyes for the most important of things, and now that they had been taken away... well, it didn't seem like such a sacrifice anymore.

Because she was the lucky one.

The lucky one with a genetic disorder that flowed through almost every generation of Haruno, female or male alike; her aunty (on her tou-san's side) was as blind as she was, except she hadn't the chances to see the world through her own aquamarine-clouded eyes—that alone made Sakura reflect upon how fortunate she had been, and allowed her to cherish her memories and the bonds that she had made over the course of her life.

Being blind hadn't stopped her from achieving her highest, and not only did she have a degree in the medical field (courtesy of her kaa-san's sister Tsunade), but she had also achieved the honorary status as 'Head of Paediatrics' at Konoha Hospital; the ward where she worked with the _completely_ blind children.

Teaching them how to read brail, how to communicate through writing, showing them all that she had learned about self-defence and manoeuvring through crowds of people, helping them to understand that what they had wasn't a 'condition'; Sakura taught them that it was a disease, one that was not their fault, and one that could possibly be cured one day—and indeed they had found this magical 'cure'.

But not under circumstances that Sakura would have liked.

She loved working in the hospital as the paed's teacher, but what she had always hated was confined spaces, and the idea of being prepped on a table with no means of escape; and that's what the rosette despised the most about being blind.

It left her vulnerable, open to any oncoming threat, and she would never see it coming; yes, her other senses may have been enhanced from her lack of sight, but if one were stealthy and quiet enough, they could easily tear down her defences and destroy her barrier—the wall she had built to protect herself from harm.

The only thing that shielded her insecurities from view.

Sakura had grown to be independent, completely reliant upon herself and her ability to take care of her own wellbeing, and the very thought of someone ripping that away from her was almost as bad as sentencing her to death—she wanted her freedom.

Her rights.

The right to feel safe, to _be_ safe, the right to feel comfortable in her setting; the right to _feel_.

That was all she wanted, all she would ever ask for; she just wanted to prove to the world that sight wasn't everything, as long as you still had a reason to live.

Besides, in her own way, Sakura could see everything around her; she could feel it.

And as long as she was alive, everything else around her would be too.

That was just the way it was.

The way it was fated to be...

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"Sakura! We have an appointment at the doctor's after you get back from uni, so don't be tardy with Hinata and Ino, alright dear?"

Haruno Setsuki, Sakura's mother, hollered from the doorway of their home; Sakura turned on her heel, her cane fully outstretched as she turned her distant gaze to where her mother's soothing voice had resided, a small smile playing on her plush pink lips (she was told that they were, anyways) as she waved back at her usually frantic kaa-san, her voice soft and melodic as she shouted back a hasty reply.

"Yes, kaa-san, I know! I promise I won't be late! See you later!"

And with that, Sakura took off down the pathway, speed-walking through the quiet streets of her home town toward her university's campus, which was only another two or so blocks away; her family had purposely moved houses so that they could be closer to the pinkette's new uni, and against much protestations to the contrary, they had even gone as far as to make sure that every neighbour for the next five blocks was aware of her 'disposition', and that if she ever needed any help, they were to do so accordingly ("Because that's what good neighbour's do!" Her tou-san had said not too long ago).

Rolling her dull apple orbs (they had at one point been a brilliant emerald, from what the rosette could remember), Sakura continued on her way, her cane probing at the concrete pathway ahead of her in case of any obstacles that she needed to be aware of; it had become routine for her to make sure that there was also no one else out on the street, so that way she would not harm them, by accident or otherwise—it always became _so_ much harder when other people didn't understand that you were blind, and abused you profusely for something in which you could not have foreseen or prevented, as much as you would have liked to have.

Sakura knew this grief all too well; she had had to live with it all through her schooling life, and even now, as a university student.

Human beings were truly cruel creatures.

Emitting a shaky sigh in the frostbitten chill of the early morning, Sakura continued on her path, the familiar contours of the sidewalk comforting and nostalgic as she made haste toward the hustling grounds of her university; it was the end of autumn in Japan, and it was gradually getting colder as the days rolled by, the borderline of winter approaching.

It was only a matter of time until the snow began to fall in clusters too.

It was one of the things she had never managed to see in all her life, and the one thing that made her heart ache as well; the idea that her parents and friends had painted to her was never enough to fuel her ever increasing fascination with the cold, mushy substance.

_"It's like... blankets upon blankets of pristine ice-crystals and diamonds overlaying everything in its path, settling and making itself at home for the season; think of it like constantly glittering fields of endless white flowers that never die down until the sun withers it away in preparation for the next season."_

Was what Ino had so painstakingly said one wintry day in a past December, before she reverted back to her topic of boys and the latest fashion; there went her first, last and only poetically philosophical moment in the history of her life.

Sakura couldn't pass over the smile that made its way to her lips as she felt the surface beneath her shuffling feet change into something coarser, far more gravelly than what she was used to; but she didn't panic.

She could hear the screams of excited fangirls swooning over the hotter guys that graced the campus with their presence; Sakura couldn't see why looks were so important—shouldn't what was on the inside matter most to a person, and not how they convey themselves appearance-wise?

How foolish some girls could be when it came to the opposite sex; then again, shame on some of those fore-mentioned guys that use those 'good looks' to woo the fairer sex.

It seemed, from Sakura's point of view at least, that all they were playing at was a good game of 'cat and mouse'; constantly flirting, being flirted to, an entirely new playing field entering altogether, which then ends in heartbreak, another successful 'conquest', and a new 'game' commences all over again.

When would they ever learn that enough was enough?

Shaking her head, the rosette felt her cane thwack against the raised pedestal of the new sidewalk, smiling as she stepped off of the road and onto the smoother surface, gliding somewhat elegantly for a 'blind girl' over the freshly cut lawn, the faint rustling of her feet crunching against the kempt pasture echoing in her ears as she closed out all of the surrounding clatter; she had always hated the sheer amount of ceaseless, inane chatter that went on at a place of education such as this, but knew that it was sometimes the only opportunity people had to do so before buckling down to work.

Being at the most prestigious university in all of Asia assured that.

Thankfully Sakura had never had a problem with keeping her grades up in the high nineties, on accounts of her higher degree of intelligence, a gift she had inherited from her mother, father and aunty; her entire close family was highly revered for their astuteness and acumen, after all.

Their daughter/niece was no exception, even with her supposed 'setback'; Sakura had never seen it in that light.

Whenever somebody had told her something was impossible, she said that sight was not necessary to solve a problem; you didn't have to be able to see the problem to know it was there, and you didn't need to be able to see it in order to fix it.

That was all just an excuse to run away from the predicament, and Sakura had learned never to shy away from them simply because she was blind; if anything, she had the most courage of any person with working sight to be able to face it head on without any fear of the unknown—after all, she was constantly living in it every day of her life.

What reason did she have to be afraid?

None.

And so that was why she refused to listen or acknowledge people that told her otherwise; she could make it through life, perhaps more efficiently and joyously than that of her seeing counterparts.

Simply because she faced everything and anything, always working at her hardest to overcome her trials and tribulations.

And because of this, she was happy, and she was free.

Feeling unconsciously elated, Sakura sped up with her pace until she felt out the front steps of her uni with her handy cane, a smile plastered to her lips as she ascended the large stairwell, stopping occasionally to sidestep the people that were rude enough not to notice the handicapped girl making her way up the stairs; when would they learn?

It seemed ironic that she was thinking that on the steps of a place of education.

A gentle hand rested on Sakura's opposite shoulder, causing her to jump with a little squeak leaving her lips, her dull orbs wide with fright as the hand groped her shoulder in what appeared to be a friendly manner.

_'Oh, it's just—!'_

"Kaka-sensei! Thank god it's you! You _scared_ me! Please don't do that again!"

Sakura exclaimed exasperatedly, her shoulders slumping with relief as the hand of said man wound around her petite waist, clutching her to his side as he helped guide her way safely up the packed staircase, muttering something inaudible (but sounding distinctly profane) to the rosette's ears under his breath.

"And a lovely 'good morning' to you too, Haruno-san. How are you feeling today?"

Kakashi asked jovially, his resonant voice chipper and cheery as he smiled kindly at her from behind his blue ski-mask (although she could not see it, she could sense it within his aura); it didn't surprise Sakura that he was wearing something so out of place, now that it was bordering winter and all, but the fact that he wore that very same mask _all the time_—even in the scorching, utterly unbearable heat—was what intrigued the pinkette.

She herself hadn't had the pleasure to see him with the mask (or at all) on, but she was constantly told that he had never once taken it off, even if everyone was sweating their asses off in light polo t-shirts and flannel shorts or skirts; there had been many occasions, however, when he would take it off, while they were alone, so that she could feel his features—it was a talent that had come naturally to her, and somehow she figured that he was a very handsome, beautiful man indeed.

It was a shame that he hid that beauty, and only shared it with the 'blind girl' though; didn't he ever crave the company of another, particularly a woman?

"Oh! Sorry, Kaka-sensei! Good morning! And I'm fine thank you! And you? How was marking the final examination papers for the 'senior' faculty? Creative writing, psychology, advanced sciences and biotech must really keep your hands full! But I'm sure that being the most renowned, successful teacher here makes all the difference, ne?"

Sakura exclaimed with equal fervour, her eyes glistening with a brighter shine now that she was talking to her favourite person in the entire school (as well as outside, the exception being her small circle of friends); he felt the same towards her, in the teacher's pet sense.

"Hmmm, it was more or less painful, I suppose... too many papers on psychological readings surely can't be any good for _my_ psyche!"

Sakura giggled at his lame attempt at a joke, while he digressed.

"Ah, but once again you flatter me with your musical words of sycophancy that make my heart bleed with joy and my cheeks flush with colour!"

What a drama queen.

"And yes, I am fine, other than that dramatic episode."

Sakura continued to giggle quietly to herself as they conversed, Kakashi leading her from the stairs to the doorway, where he then escorted her to her first lecture, which was to be on medical sciences; he was always the gentleman, after all—he did this for her every day, on the dot (she had failed to notice, thanks to all of the chatter that had been circulating the area) so that she made it back to her family in one piece.

That alone assured him a place in the Haruno household whenever he felt like it.

Sakura smiled as she remembered how well her mother had gotten along with him when they first met over dinner, and how the two males had bonded over a football game in that late evening.

Yes, he was truly liked by her folks, that was a given.

Dropping her off with a few parting words of luck, Kakashi swept off to attend his first class of the day, leaving her to her own devices; running a small hand through her pink locks, Sakura turned to walk into the classroom when all of a sudden another body stormed out, a dark, eerie, _dangerous_ aura surrounding him as he threw open the door, waltzing straight into the unsuspecting Sakura, her cane dropped in the midst of it all as she stumbled ever so slightly.

Terror unlike any other consumed her as she faced their sudden wrath.

"Watch where you're fucking going!"

The silky, deep, smooth voice spat irately, before they shoved past her smaller frame, inevitably causing her to stagger involuntarily; even as she tumbled clumsily to the ground, all Sakura could hear were this... this... _man's_ rude words of spite echoing in her ears.

Truly human beings were the worst of the worst.

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**'**_**B**_l_i_**n**d_n_e_**s**_s_ i_**s**n_'t _a_** s**y_m**p**_t_o_m... **I**t'_s_ a _**d**_i_s_e**a**_s_e.**'**_

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**'****O**_n_e** t**h_a**t** _c_a_**n**_n_o_**t** b_e_** prevented**... But can be cured.'_

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**'_If you let it.'_**

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**a/n: Well, that's the first chapter for ya! I hope you all like this so far! (:  
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**Please review! It makes writing an enjoyable experience, rather than a chore! ^^**

**Until next time then!**

**Ja! x)**

***-Sasukeluva 4eva out-***


	2. New Acquaintances

**a/n: I feel awful in not having updated this story in so long, but go figure, life happened, and there's no stopping it. I do hope that you enjoy this next instalment never the less.**

**In reply to **Imyself2121**; is today good enough for you? (:**

**Disclaimer: IDNON, BIDHTOS! That is all.**

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Chapter 2

New Acquaintances

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Class dragged out for the first time in Sakura's stint as a university student, her mind adrift amidst her own ponderings; ponderings that always took a lethal turn, more specifically returning back to that morning's nasty encounter with the discourteous, foul mouthed youth who had deliberately shoved her to her knees in the hallway.

Thankfully her supervising student teacher, Yakushi Kabuto, had rushed to her aid, having trailed after the aforementioned man from within the confines of her classroom with the intent of continuing whatever heated discussion had led him to address her in such an offensive manner in the first instance.

The older man, into his mid-twenties as far as the rosette was aware, was profusely apologetic, rushing out a plea for pardon whilst getting her settled into her traditional place amongst the front row students; the remaining members of her lecture group had yet to make their presences known, so for the time being, the pinkette was left to her own devices, striking up further conversation with the ever enigmatic Kabuto, who was more than willing to answer her enquiry regarding the troubled adolescent who had inadvertently pushed his anger onto her.

"Ah, well he's a special case; has issues at home with his father, so he has the awful tendency of lugging all of those negative vibes with him to school. Honestly, that boy! He really isn't all that bad, once you get to _really_ know him; incredibly intelligent, top of the university—better scores than his ever prestigious elder brother, I hear. Or so the rumours say. Haha, I'm probably not setting a good example, spreading such trivialities around! But truly, he _is_ a good person; has a beautiful heart, if you're fortunate enough to worm your way into it. He'd do anything for the ones he loves, irrespective of the… _circumstances_ he alone has to contend with on a day to day basis."

Sakura didn't miss the careful application of the sentence, choosing not to meddle any further within this boy's personal affairs; whatever had been said had had an intensely deleterious effect on his already dampened mood, and that was what had driven him to be so curt with her.

It wasn't anything personal, or of a particular agenda that levelled her to being someone whom had wronged him in some way or form (not that she could ever really shoulder the blame, considering the fact that she had no prior ties to the mystery man that was obviously as disturbed as he was intellectually gifted), and so she had allowed the unpleasant happenstance to simply be swept under the metaphorical carpet.

But that didn't stop her from reflecting upon it at the back of her mind, it soon becoming the forethought of her brain's prioritised notions as she deliberated all of the possible contexts that could lead someone, anyone, to being so callous to another, without first taking into consideration both their feelings on the matter, and their current physical state.

Now she wasn't implying that her blindness took precedence over any other person's conditioning, but it was an aspect of herself that could not be overlooked.

Even with her cane no longer within her steady grasp, it should have been clearly obvious to the youth that it was neither her intention to block his dynamic exit, nor was she able to even see him leaving the room to begin with; so what was with the tongue and cheek?

She had not broken any laws by simply waiting outside of her assigned classroom, and nor had she violated the amount of space that was necessary to be kept between the doorway and her person in order to avoid such confrontational occurrences, and yet he had still unleashed his ire upon her, the innocent bystander to his spiteful wrath.

Bearing in mind that he evidently had his own delicate issues outside of his extensive education, the pinkette tried to empathise with his situation—whatever it may be.

Something relevant to his father, she intoned quietly within the musings of her mind, recalling her brief conversation with Kabuto, whilst adding his unknown 'circumstance' as a sudden afterthought to the list of plausible causes.

Well whatever it was, it was no excuse for his uncalled for behaviour, no matter how difficult his situation may or may not be, and Sakura sincerely hoped that some sense was knocked into him for good measure; it would not be a trait that would do him well in later life, so it was best that he curbed it altogether.

Unfortunately, human nature was unlikely to offer such an amazing transformation, for it was the most stubborn creature the pinkette had ever encountered, and it was rare to witness a change in a person's adopted mannerisms and personality, if something happened _at all_; why else would she have fought to become so resilient to the whimsical mockery that fell from the personified beings of that very same nature's lips?

Rolling her blank eyes at the thought, Sakura returned her attentions to what was being said by her lecturer, Orochimaru-sensei; everyone had the impression that he was a child molester by night, and just a creep in general during the day, but they, as usual, had jumped the gun in their half-assed assumptions.

He was actually a very kind man, albeit a little on the eccentric side (borderline insane, but who was she to judge); hey, intelligence is allowed to have some quirks!

It _is_ what makes the entire concept of shared intelligence all the more rewarding, after all.

The man himself had an obscene sense of humour, morbid and dry (part of the reason why he was so feared by the general populace, for not one of the supposed geniuses could appreciate the ghoulish approaches he took to joke-telling), and enough to crack up only those of whom could admire his wit and peculiar—and usually extremely unorthodox— approaches to teaching and divulging knowledge.

Sakura took everything he said in great stride, having known him since she was a small child herself; the fact that he was presently in a happy and very much so healthy relationship with her spitfire of an aunt Tsunade (renowned as not only Japan's finest doctor, but also as the most foul tempered woman the world over, making him either incredibly brave, or just plain stupid to be playing with constant fire) only guaranteed her unwavering support of him as a decent man who had somehow been misunderstood in the course of his long career.

They were all legitimate idiots for believing as such, and she made sure that that point was reiterated tirelessly to the man himself, who of course couldn't give a flying hoot and a half what anyone else thought of him; opinions were merely that, at the end of the day, was what he told her in response, and she couldn't help but feel her admiration of him skyrocket with every dismissal he made (never short of a wise crack, of course, although it usually sounded more like an unintentionally gory death threat than an attempt at flippant raillery whenever he tried one out for size).

Smiling at that, Sakura allowed herself to focus for the first time in the two hours that she had been tolerating her lesson (her mind having been too preoccupied with its own musings for her to settle on the topic of that day's class; dissection, she believed—God only knows what jokes he'd been throwing whilst she had been out of it, but they were sure to have been real doozies, knowing Orochimaru), diligently taking mental notes up until the bell notified the students that it was time for first break.

Stretching her prone form and delighting in the feel of her tense muscles releasing all of her pent up tensions (her thoughts were indeed poisonous ones, ones that probably weren't advisable to revisit), Sakura stood from her seat, collecting her scattered textbooks—all in braille—and slipping them into her book-bag, before slinging it over her shoulder until it rested comfortably against her hip and upper thigh.

Refreshed from the idea of recess in the university's beautiful courtyard, and hardly nonplussed by the inevitable chatter that was going to be filtering pointlessly through the air of that particular area, the rosette made her way to the door, only to be stopped by a chilly hand upon her bared shoulder—perhaps she should have put her jacket back on before she left the classroom, for now her entire person was peppered with infinitesimal goose bumps.

Shivering at the intensity of the touch, Sakura lifted her dull gaze toward where she believed the person's face was, before she parted her lips in question.

"What is it, sensei?"

Even then, with the mild irritancy glazing over her bland tone, a smile pulled at her lips, expression betraying nothing of her inner dismay at being impeded.

Of course, he knew her too well, that cunning Orochimaru, as he simply grinned back at her unseeing face, mouth forming his next words with little hesitance on his part.

"I didn't hear much of your usual monologue in today's session, Sakura-chan; did I bore you _that much_ with my rambling?"

Guilt was the first emotion to register within her suddenly tight chest, her lungs parched of air as she averted her sightless eyes from his, which were undoubtedly hurt and disappointed. Swallowing thickly through her congested throat (emotion clogging it from the sheer intensity of her remorse), Sakura muttered a feeble apology, blaming her flightiness on the weather and her feeling 'unwell'; not entirely a lie, nor was it the full truth, but seeing as it was no one's business but her own, she would be hard pressed to reveal the true nature of her deficiency.

Of course, he was perceptive, seeing things that not even her parents or best friends could identify within her, and he easily picked her fib apart, diving straight into the real cause of her 'mental absence'.

"I hear that that's the standard excuse that unexceptional students use nowadays to dismiss their inattention in class; you, however, are hardly at that level of idiocy, being as exemplary as you are, so you must understand that I am neither fooled by the pretence, nor do I intend to buy it as a viable excuse."

A solid flinch, clearly visible to those still within the room—namely Kabuto, herself and of course her 'uncle'—on her part, before he continued on his merciless tangent.

"But I _did_ hear from a little birdy," cue pointed glare in a sheepish Kabuto's direction, "that you were left a little shaken up this morning after a rough physical with young Uchiha-kun."

An interesting way of phrasing it, she supposed idly.

And _Uchiha-kun_?

What the bloody _hell _was up with _that_?

Since when did her 'uncle' address a young male in such a _familiar_, almost _intimate_, manner?

'_Don't tell me those morons were right about him…'_

Sakura almost groaned at that depressing notion, but quickly squashed it as she nodded in what he would define as compliance; good, at least she was cooperating with him.

A pang of annoyance shot through Orochimaru as he thought back to the earlier altercation, the hostility of it not lost to him, as he tensed quite noticeably at the unpleasant memory, before promptly squashing it, instead returning his mind to the current predicament, revolving a little too close to home (considering the fact that she was almost like a niece to him, in every respect of the endearment) for his liking.

"Ah yes, Uchiha-kun… well, as you are already well aware, he has some extensive familial problems, alongside having… _certain handicaps_ that only amplify the side effects of the aforementioned. Unfortunately this leads him to having a volatile temper, and an even more precarious way of _dealing_ with said temper. Neither are an excuse for the way he treated you, and nor do they justify the manner in which he approached it, but I do hope that you can sympathise with his issues; after all, you yourself haven't had the best hand dished out to you by God either, hm?"

Sakura felt as if he had dumped a bucket of frigid water over her head at the mention of her blindness, something that he very rarely brought up, if ever, which only forced her to feel bitter resentment toward herself for being so self-righteously indignant—he was right. Even though he hadn't said it verbally, Sakura could clearly read between the lines of that sentiment, and knew that his unparalleled insight into her personality ensured him an infuriating acuity into her inner workings; she knew that he knew that she had been annoyed—rightly so in her eyes—that her handicap had been conveniently held in blatant disregard by someone who had the ability _to see_ that she was blind, a luxury that had escaped her grasp some fifteen years ago, and she also knew all too well that those feelings weren't entirely reasonable.

Yes, it was fair to feel pissed off at the prospect of becoming someone else's punching bag, and yes, it was fair to assume that they were an asshole for doing it, but it wasn't fair to presume that they were in the right state of mind to _make_ them an asshole, thus determining her reasoning as void.

No, she was not happy to have been the one on the end of both physical and verbal violence on behalf of this mysterious "Uchiha-kun", but she could not hold it against him if he had done it in the heat of the moment, without intention to harm; it was unfortunate that she was the one he had chosen to voice his distress to, but it wasn't as if he had singled her out specifically, so she supposed that all could be forgiven.

Noting the resolved look on his almost-niece's face, Orochimaru smiled; if only she knew…

Shaking his head, as if to deter the thought from fully forming, the dark haired man straightened, hand giving a comforting squeeze to the pinkette's now relaxed shoulder, letting her know that she was dismissed, before he about-faced into the classroom.

A hand tugging gently on the back of his white professor's robe (making him look more like a mad scientist or a psychopathic mutant serial killer than a humble university lecturer) had him halt in his tracks, turning in time to receive a soft kiss on his cheek; Sakura was on the tips of her toes (being as famously short as the rest of her female matriarchs), hands around his neck as she gave him a soft embrace in turn, before whispering a hushed "Thank you" into his closest ear.

And just like that, she was gone, whisking down the hallway with a noticeably unburdened skip in her step.

Ah, that was how he wanted her to be!

Kabuto's knowing smile only supported the fact that although Orochimaru was indeed a hard man to know and love (much less express such sentimentalities to others), his own love ran deeply, when it was earned earnestly, and to see one so dear to him so obviously fraught encumbered him also; the very fact that he had risked exposing those emotions to outsiders in order to remove her insecurities was proof enough of that.

"Wipe that disgusting smile off of your face and help me mark these goddamned midterms, Kabuto!"

He did have a reputation to uphold, after all.

* * *

Sakura trekked through the quiet hallways, noting that it was the most peaceful she had been all day; although she would never admit it aloud, her one on one (literally, considering the fact that she had said next to nothing in rebuttal to her 'uncle') with Orochimaru had really helped her put things into perspective, and cleared her mind of all of the growing negativities that came with her usual self-depreciation, and now that her mind had been set free of her own suffocating musings, the rosette was ready to enjoy the rest of her day to the best of her capabilities.

Shrugging off the sudden burst of frosty wind that erupted in through the university's revolving doors, Sakura tapped her way to the staircase with her ever reliable cane, taking cautious steps due to the usual congestion that plagued it (the students failed to realise even with their outstanding acumen that the stairway was designed for people to walk up and down, _not_ to be used as a convenient social convention).

Sighing in vague annoyance when her stick smacked against a solid barrier, the pinkette ran an exasperated hand through her hair when the ignoramus blocking her path turned to let loose some colourful expletives in her direction ("What the fuck, you stupid cow? Can't you fucking see that I'm fucking sitting here, or are you fucking retarded?"), her eyes rolling as she stared in what would appear an 'eerie' manner, with no particular course in mind; when she was sure that he was finished, she spoke, tongue clicking impatiently against the roof of her mouth as she did so in the politest possible way.

"I apologise that my inability to see you due to _being blind_ bothers you so much, but I cannot unfortunately do much about my disposition. Now if you could kindly move aside so that I can get through, it would be much appreciated, seeing as I am too _retarded_ to move passed you myself without the distinct possibility of me cracking open my skull and therefore dying, _and_ most probably spewing blood all over you and your friends on my way down to the bottom."

How she hated being vindictive and sarcastic, even more so when she had to intentionally use her 'disability' as a means of guilt-tripping others into doing as she asked, but when she faced idiots like this who couldn't immediately move their person's without the need to be malicious themselves, she found that the impending reaction they had to her state of unseeing was rather amusing (in a warped kind of way, considering that it was still pity that they were throwing at her at the end of the day, just sugar-coated with the additional premise of remorse), and so she relished in their floundering.

He, of course, was of no exception, as he immediately shifted with an "Oh shit, I'm so sorry!"—as if sorry was going to cure her of her blindness, but she'd take it in compensation for his unkindness regardless.

Ignoring his repetitive apologies, Sakura simply bypassed him, feeling around with her cane for any more obstacles; thankfully there were none, and so she was able to continue on to the courtyard without any further problems.

She had an inkling that the others whom had been guilty of the same crime had all moved out of her way, for she had heard their feet and hands scrabbling around for all of their possessions before stalking off in multiple directions; thus was the gift of her extraordinary hearing.

Every leaf trodden on by a boot was like a train wreck in her ears, the distinctive crunching like bones snapping apart, and it carried a texture, so many different layers, that no other could perceive.

It was her own world of beautiful sounds (as morbid as the previous analogies may be, to her, they were the truest sounds of life, and thus picturesque never the less), and she wouldn't have it any other way.

Lips cracked, and with arms naked to the increasing chill of the morning, Sakura made her way to her special place, making herself comfortable amidst the roots of the familiar cherry tree (whose blooms had all but fallen away in preparation for the bitter winter months ahead), before settling down (making sure to put her jacket back on, lest she freeze to death) with the hot tea her kaa-san had poured into a thermos for her that morning, her morning snack, and a good book to keep her occupied for the next hour and a half between her next class.

* * *

Sakura walked at a collected pace toward Orochimaru's usual hideout (his office, in other words, located in the experimental labs for all of the aspiring scientists; something to do with his "afterschool hobby", but she was too afraid to ask for details), wondering why he had called for her when he knew that she had a doctor's appointment that she had to get to, considering that all of her classes were done for the day.

Whatever it was, it apparently couldn't wait, and so she had reluctantly complied with his summons.

The familiar scent of hydrochloric acid and dead rat informed her that she had arrived, and she placed a careful fist to the door, preparing to knock, when she heard a loud, grating voice on the other side of the wooden barrier, a voice that was apparently _not_ all that happy with being there; she seconded the motion.

"Bah, _teme_, what the fuck does _Orochimaru_ want with you, and in _here_ of all places? Is he planning on tying us down and experimenting on us," an extreme plausibility, not to be put passed her 'uncle' and his very evident sadistic streak, "or does he want to carry out that threat from first year of taking advantage of you in the nearest broom close—AIIIGO, that _hurt_ you _jackass_!"

She giggled at the male banter, before swallowing it altogether when a slimy, cold hand grabbed her from behind, jerking her from her thoughts as she almost yelped from the suddenness of the contact.

Thankfully, it was a familiar face (excuse the pun; she was feeling rather dismal at the moment).

"_Never_. Do _that_. **Again**. Comprende?"

It would have been scary, had he not been immune to her violent temper tantrums (try living with the epitome of violent temper tanties on a day to day basis).

"Ah, Sakura-chan, you came; and just in time, too."

_'For what, pray tell?'_

She couldn't help but muse sardonically within the confines of her own mind, privy to her 'uncle's' knowing look; obviously, even her _thoughts_ could not be kept from him.

His answering smirk said as much.

Rolling her sightless eyes in reply, Sakura allowed him to guide her into the stale room (how he could tolerate the stench, much less practically _live_ in it, she'd _never_ know), the sharp intake of breath from one of the two forms (assumedly males) all Sakura needed to know that he was doing more than just staring.

Apparently, Orochimaru thought similarly.

"Naruto, kindly remove your ogling eyes from _my niece_ before I _gouge them out_ with," he produced an unknown object, but Sakura could only assume that it was sharp, for the sudden high-pitched squeak that was produced in response to it spoke of immediate danger, "this very much so _bloodthirsty_ scalpel."

Ah, there it was.

It had obviously worked, for there were no more burning eyes resting upon her frame, and nor were there anymore death threats by eye removal from her contented 'uncle'.

And as if nothing had happened, Orochimaru moved on from the sudden hostility, brushing his hands together as if wiping away specks of dirt ("ridding himself" of the situation, she supposed, in the metaphorical sense, for if he were to have done so in reality, there would be a body bag involved), before unveiling the reason for why they had been gathered in the university's most unvisited sanction.

"Well now, I wanted to clear up the mishap upon which happened earlier this morning, between my lovely cherry blossom, and my brightest ex-student. You _do_ recall the happenings of this morning; do you not, Sasuke-kun?"

Obviously he was addressing them directly, for no names that rang a bell with Sakura were mentioned.

Unless he was talking about—

"What business is it of your precious niece—_Wait a second_…!"

In almost practised unison, they pointed accusatory fingers in each other's (assumed) direction, and yelled synonymously, "_You're_ the one who _ran me over_ this morning!"

Sakura bristled, as did this 'Sasuke' person, both irritated at the prospect of having to be put into the same room; for fairly good reasons, but none known to the other just yet.

And so the denunciation continued, with three amused (and one more or less confused as to the brewing hatred consuming the room like a bad smell—okay, bad juxtaposition, considering where they were) bystanders watching from the sidelines.

"You inconsiderate, foul mouthed little _ingrate_! How _dare_ you run into me and then pin the blame on me? Are you that uncouth, or are you just stupid?"

"Hah, _I_ could say the same! Who stands outside of a fucking _public doorway_, _blocking_ it and therefore becoming a hindrance—no, a _hazard_ to others safety—"

"_EXCUSE ME_? I am _no_ hazard, and I was most certainly _not_ in the doorway! _YOU_ RAN INTO _ME_, so I think I am justified in being a little PISSED OFF, _thank you very much_! It wasn't as if I could _see you_ coming, anyways!"

"_Likewise_, but at least _I_ have a _legitimate reason_ for not _seeing_ _you_ there, or _at all_."

Okay, _what_?

At that exclamation, Sakura suddenly deflated, not sure where this conversation was heading.

Thankfully, Orochimaru stepped in before things became too ugly, and she prayed to fucking _God_ that he'd fill in the blanks for her, because right now, she had nothing to say in reply to that statement.

"Children, children, there is no need for petty squabbling!"

_'A little late to be saying that, __**beloved **__**uncle**__.' _

A flick to her nose was what she got, so it was safe to assume that he had once again read her thoughts, but he continued on a brightened note never the less.

"Let me be frank; Sakura-chan, Sasuke-kun _couldn't_ have seen you, just as _you_ couldn't have seen _him_, for the very same reason that you are unable."

A short pause.

"Sasuke-kun couldn't have seen you because he is blind as well."

* * *

**a/n: Bet nobody saw _that_ one coming! Jokes, knowing how smart all of you are, you probably had it figured out before _I _did. ;)**

**Oh cliffies, how I have missed you so! *Cuddles affectionately***

**Anyways, please leave me some feedback! Can we try for another 15, since that is what I got for the first chapter? All newcomers are more than welcome! 15+15= 30?**

**And speaking of reviews, please do go and leave a comment for my recently updated **_'The Virgin Widow'_**; I spent so long on it, and I would really appreciate your thoughts. (:**

**Can't say that I'm back for good, but do expect some 'decent' updates from yours truly over the next few days. :D**

**Even leave a review to say a long awaited 'Welcome back, Rin!'?**

**I'd love it if you did!**

**Well, until the next time I update then.**

**Ja mata ne. (:**

***-Sasukeluva 4eva out-***


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